Systems and methods for distributed electronic signature documents

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods for distributed electronic signature documents. A method for distributed electronic signature documents includes creating a signing template that contains information about how a signable document is to be signed. A signable document is created to be distributed to a signer for signing. The signable document is electronically transmitted to the signer. A message is sent using an activatable control in the signing document to a web signing server to invoke the signing process. A browser window is opened on a signer&#39;s computer in order to execute the signing process.

PRIORITY CLAIM

This application claims priority to and the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/950,563 filed Jul. 18, 2007, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Email is a popular way of transferring contract documents in the marketplace. Currently, there does not exist an effective system or method for a person to email a document or file to another person and have them fill-in and sign the document in such a way as to enforce a legally binding electronic signature process.

In order to create a legally binding document, the signer must be authenticated, the document may not be modified and the sequence of signing must be controlled. Standard email systems lack the control over any of these processes. One current method is emailing a PKI signed document. A PKI signed document can be cumbersome because it requires the document to be signed by the sender before it is distributed, then again by the signer when they sign the document, and further requires all parties to have special software and certificates to execute the process. This requirement that all parties pre-establish proper technology in order execute a transaction adds extra burden and cost on both parties to the transaction, which severely limits acceptance of PKI in the marketplace.

Advanced electronic signature services such as DocuSign enable contracts to be signed with an esign-compliant signature process. However, this service lacks the ability to simply email the source document to a person to sign; it requires the signer to visit and authenticate before they sign the document. It further requires the sender to register each document with the service prior to sending it for signature.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A system and method for distributed electronic signature documents includes creating a signing template that contains information about how a signable document is to be signed, where the signatures are to be placed, who is to sign, and all activities that will be required to complete the transaction. A signable document is created and is then distributed by any means to a signer for signing. The signer opens the signable document, provides any data being requested should the document have form fields, and initiates the signing process. When initiated, a secure message is sent to a web signing server to invoke the signing process. This process preferably validates the request for a signing and then, if valid, executes the signing process as defined by the signing template.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The preferred and alternative embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings:

FIG. 1 shows an example system for creation, processing and execution of distributed electronic signature documents; and

FIG. 2 shows a preferred method for distributed electronic signature documents.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Systems and methods for distributed electronic signature documents are disclosed herein. One embodiment of the present invention acts like a “Self Addressed Stamped Envelope” and allows a document to be sent for signature via email. Once the signer receives the document, he/she may fill in necessary fields prior to signing. When the signer is ready to sign, a control embedded in the document enables the signing process to be initiated and the signing managed by a web service. The web service authenticates the signer and ensures that the content of the contract can/cannot be modified (determined by the creator of the document). The service preferably enforces the workflow and sequencing of the document and adds any fields to the document that the signer added during review and execution. This approach allows any document to be distributed freely for signature via any means along with the ability to be electronically signed without the need for special software or certificates, and there is no requirement for the sender to take specific actions for each document, but rather allow the document to be distributed freely. In a preferred embodiment, the same signable document may be sent to hundreds of recipients via email, each of which may sign their copy, with the result being that all signed copies and all the data provided by the signed copies is securely captured and available to the sender.

FIG. 1 shows an example system 100 for creation, processing and execution of distributed electronic signature documents. The system 100 includes a single computer 101, or includes a computer 101 in communication with pluralities of other computers 103. The computer 101 is connected with a web signing service 104 and an electronic signature service 106 over a network such as the Internet. In one embodiment, a bank of servers, a wireless device, a cellular telephone and/or other data capture/entry device can be used in place of the computer 101. An application program is run by the computer 101, which then creates a signing template 120 and/or a signable document 122. The computer 101 can include an application program that allows the signing template 120 and/or the signable document 122 to be sent for signature via email.

The signing template 120 is a file that preferably contains information about the signing process, locations, sequence and authentication. It contains linkages to any form fields in the signable document that will be used to fully execute the signing template. It may also contain information about the account holder and any limitations on the signing process. It may identify other parties that will also sign, as well as any authentication requirements for any of the signers. The signable document 122 is a document file that preferably contains text and/or graphics along with a customizable control or link back to the signing template for execution. The web signing server 104 is a web server on the Internet that preferably hosts the application logic to correlate data transmitted by the embedded control in the signable document 122 with signing template 120 rule sets. An electronic signature service 106, such as the existing DocuSign service, executes the signing template instructions through the web signing server.

FIG. 2 shows a method for distributed electronic signature documents 200 in one embodiment. At block 202 a document originator creates a signing template file that contains information about how a signable document is to be signed. A document originator may be a user, a party to a transaction, an agency or any entity interested in creating a signable document. The signing template file may include but is not limited to the location of signatures and initials for one or more signers; linkage between form fields in the actual document; information to be used to notify or authenticate the signer; information that may be used by decision systems to decide on different signature execution processes based on what is entered into the document during the signing process; the number of times the signable document can be executed; who will pay for the signature process; information governing whether the signable document content is modifiable by the signer; and other controlling information that may be changed or modified at any time by the sender who has access to it on the web server connected to the Internet. The signing template is preferably stored on a web signing server that is connected to the Internet.

In one embodiment, at block 204, the document originator may create a signable document that is to be distributed to recipients for signing or viewing. The creation of the signing template and signable document preferably occurs in the same application, but may also occur in a different sequence and in different applications. The core signable document preferably includes an embedded control that provides information about the companion signing template. This information is similar to a secure hyperlink that enables the signer to click a button (“SDButton”) or a link in the signable document that contains information about how to connect over the Internet to the signing template for processing. The signable document is preferably paired with a signing template; however, there may be multiple signable documents relating back to one or more Signable Templates.

The document originator, at block 206, transmits electronically the signing template and signable document to the signer. In an alternative embodiment, the signing template may be distributed via a simple hyperlink back to the signable document stored on a web server available to the Internet. When the signer is ready and when the SDButton is activated, at block 208, a message is sent to the signing template on the web signing server, which invokes a signing process. This signing process preferably launches a procedure that validates the transaction and uploads the data provided by any form fields in the signable document to the web signing server and invokes a signing process that spawns a local web browser on the signer's computer and begins a signing process as defined by the signing template.

After the signer has been authenticated by the system by any means defined in the signing template, at block 210 a version of the signable document that is created from the server is presented in the browser window. The signing process uses the current method of signing found in the DocuSign service, but may accommodate alternative methods of signing found in similar services. At block 212, the signer signs the document.

Preferably only the form field data from the signer is uploaded to the server and merged into the signing template (which contains the signable document copy). In this embodiment, the signers are not able to modify the underlying documents because this data is not used when the contract is presented to them during the signing process.

In an alternative embodiment, if the sender allows the content to be modified prior to submitting to the web signing server for signing, the entire signable document rather than only the field information is uploaded to the web signing server for handling through the signing process. In this embodiment, the modified document is displayed for the signer to sign in the web signing server.

In another embodiment, the sender does not allow the content to be modified and the entire document is posted to the web signing server for the signing process. Next, a document integrity validation occurs on the posted document to ensure that the underlying content has not been changed.

Once a signable document/signing template pairing has been created, the signable document can be used in many different ways to enable businesses to easily allow electronic signatures to be collected. The following provide non-limiting examples of alternative embodiments as may be desired or dictated by application requirements.

In one example, a business creates a signable document for the company 401k signing sheet and emails it to multiple employees. Each employee opens the file and fills in the form, clicking a button that may say “Sign.” The web signing server responds by presenting a web interface that authenticates and presents the document for signature for each employee and collects the signature and any data provided.

In another example, a business creates a signable document for a sales order form and creates the companion signing template, which requests that after the original signer has signed the document must be countersigned internally by two other people before being completed. To execute a sales transaction, the sales representative opens the document, enters in the data required for the sale, and sends the file to the signer for signature. The signer merely clicks the “Sign” button. The web signing server responds by presenting a web interface that authenticates and provides the document for signature to the first signer. Once the first signer has signed, the document is routed to the other two signers for signatures before it is completed.

A business creates a signable document that is unlocked (i.e. the content is changeable) for the company consulting agreement, and a signing template with instructions about the signing process, which ensures the company signer signs second. This contract is edited by both the company and consultant several times before it is deemed to be the final copy. Once the final copy is reached, either party may click the “Submit for Signature” link or button and the web signing server manages the signing process.

A company has an “Account Setup Form” that currently prospects download, print and fill out manually, and faxing the form back to the company for account setup. Using the systems and methods described herein, the sender company creates the form as a signable document linked to a signing template that defines the signing process for opening an account. When the user clicks on a hyperlink on a web page that says “Open Account,” the form is displayed in the browser window, and the user fills out the form using all form fields defined in the signable document (for example a PDF form). When the user clicks “Sign” the web signing server executes the signing process for the document.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of the preferred embodiment, but to the invention as described above and illustrated in the exemplars shown below. 

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
 1. A method for distributed electronic signature documents comprising: creating and storing on a signing server a signing template that contains information about how a signable document is to be signed, the information specifying locations in the signable document of signatures of one or more signers; creating a signable document to be distributed to a signer for signing, wherein the signable document is a document file that includes form fields and an activatable control that references the signing template stored on a web signing server; electronically transmitting the signable document to the signer; sending a message using the activatable control in the signing document to a web signing server to invoke a signing process defined by the signing template; and executing the signing process by receiving data entered by the signer into the form fields of the document file and merging the received data into the signing template, wherein the signing template is separate from the signable document, and wherein the signing template and the signable document reference one another, and wherein the information in the template further includes: information specifying linkage between form fields in the signable document; a number of times the signable document can be executed; information identifying who will pay for the signature process; and information governing whether the signable document content is modifiable by each of the signers.
 2. The method of claim 1 further comprising enabling a signer to fill in fields prior to signing.
 3. The method of claim 1 further comprising creating an activatable control in the signable document that initiates the signing process.
 4. The method of claim 1 further comprising authenticating a user when logging into the web signing server.
 5. The method of claim 1 further comprising locking the content of a contract such that it cannot be modified.
 6. The method of claim 1 further comprising prompting a user to make changes to a contract as necessary.
 7. The method of claim 1 further comprising enforcing workflow and sequencing of a document at the web signing server.
 8. The method of claim 7 wherein enforcing the workflow includes, in response to receiving a signature from the signer, automatically routing the document to additional signers.
 9. The method of claim 7 wherein enforcing the workflow includes assuring that multiple signers sign the signable document in a specified order.
 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising in response to a sender allowing content of the signable document be modified prior to submitting to the web signing server for signing, uploading the entire signable document to the web signing server for handling through the signing process rather than uploading only the data entered by the signer into the form fields.
 11. A system for distributed electronic signature documents, comprising a display; a memory configured to store document information; a processor in data communication with the display and the memory, the memory further comprising: a first component configured to create a signing template, the signing template configured to contain information about how a signable document is to be signed, the information specifying locations in the signable document of signatures of one or more signers; a second component configured to create a signable document, wherein the signable document is a document file that includes contractual text, form fields, and an activatable control that references the signing template; a web signing server in communication with the processor and further configured to store the signing template and host application logic to correlate data between the signable document and the signing template; and an electronic signature service configured to: execute a signing process defined by the signing template through the web signing server; and receive data entered by the signer into the form fields of the document file and merge the received data into the signing template, wherein the signing template is separate from the signable document, and wherein the signing template and the signable document reference one another, and wherein the information in the template further includes: information specifying linkage between form fields in the signable document; a number of times the signable document can be executed; information identifying who will pay for the signature process; and information governing whether the signable document content is modifiable by each of the signers.
 12. The system of claim 11 further comprising a third component configured to enable a signer to fill in fields prior to signing.
 13. The system of claim 11 further comprising a third component configured to create an activatable control in the signable document that initiates the signing process.
 14. The system of claim 11 further comprising a third component configured to enforce workflow and sequencing of a document at the web signing server.
 15. The system of claim 11, wherein the information in the template further includes information used by decision systems to decide on different signature execution processes based on what is entered into the signable document during the signing process.
 16. The system of claim 11, wherein the information in the template further includes: information specifying linkage between form fields in the signable document; and information governing whether the signable document content is modifiable by each of the signers.
 17. A non-transitory computer readable medium stored with a program for causing a computer to function as a distributor of electronic signature documents following a series of steps comprising: creating a signing template that contains information about how a signable document is to be signed, the information specifying locations in the signable document of signatures of one or more signers; creating a signable document to be distributed to a signer for signing, wherein the signable document is a document file that includes form fields and an activatable control that references the signing template stored on a web signing server; electronically transmitting the signable document to the signer; sending a message using the activatable control in the signing document to a web signing server to invoke a signing process defined by the signing template; and executing the signing process by receiving data entered by the signer into the form fields of the document file and merging the received data into the signing template, wherein the signing template is separate from the signable document, and wherein the signing template and the signable document reference one another, and wherein the information in the template further includes: information specifying linkage between form fields in the signable document; a number of times the signable document can be executed; information identifying who will pay for the signature process; and information governing whether the signable document content is modifiable by each of the signers.
 18. The computer readable medium of claim 17 further comprising enabling a signer to fill in fields prior to signing.
 19. The computer readable medium of claim 17 further comprising creating an activatable control in the signable document that initiates the signing process. 